Thales completes 15-month Gemalto acquisition

Completed in 15 months, the acquisition of Gemalto by Thales for €4.8 billion creates a Group in digital identity and security employing 80,000 people.

The larger Thales will master all the technologies underpinning the critical decision chain for companies, organisations and governments.

Incorporating the talent and technologies of Gemalto, Thales will develop secure solutions to address the major challenges faced by our societies, such as unmanned air traffic management, data and network cybersecurity, airport security or financial transaction security.

This combination creates a portfolio of digital identity and security solutions based on technologies such as biometry, data protection, and, more broadly, cybersecurity.

Thales will provide a seamless response to customers, including critical infrastructure providers such as banks, telecom operators, government agencies, utilities and other industries as they step up to the challenges of identifying people and objects and keeping data secure.

Research and development: inventing the world of tomorrow

Thales and Gemalto share a passion for the advanced technologies that serve as a common foundation and focus for their 80,000 employees.

Research and development (R-D) are at the core of the new Group, with its 3,000 researchers and 28,000 engineers dedicated to R-D.

The completion of the acquisition grows the research assets of the Group to a portfolio of 20,500 patents, of which more than 400 new ones were registered in 2018.

Technological synergies

The new Thales will cover the entire critical decision chain in an increasingly interconnected and vulnerable world, with capabilities spanning software development, data processing, real-time decision support, connectivity and end-to-end network management.

With €1 billion a year devoted to self-funded R-D, the Group will continue to innovate in its key markets, focusing on the Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

An extended global footprint

Following this acquisition, Gemalto will form one of Thales's seven global divisions, to be named Digital Identity and Security (DIS).

Gemalto will interact with all of the Group's civil and defence customers and will strengthen its industrial presence in 68 countries.

Thales will expand its operations in Latin America (2,450 employees, up from 600), triple its presence in Northern Asia (1,980, from 700), Southeast Asia (2,500, from 800), India (1,150, from 400) and North America (6,660 employees, up from 4,600).

Thales chairman and CEO Patrice Caine says, "With Gemalto, Thales has acquired a set of technologies and competencies with applications in all of our five vertical markets, which are now redefined as aerospace; space; ground transportation; digital identity and security; and defence and security.

"The acquisition is a turning point for the Group's 80,000 employees.